Snapback sounding toy



Dec. 14, N A. DECKER SNAPBACK SOUNDING TOY Filed Nov. 21, 1952 5 m m. A W U N ATTORNEY;

United States Patent SNAPBACK SOUNDING TOY Norman A. Decker, Stamford, Conn.

Application November 21, 1952, Serial No. 321,782

1 Claim. (Cl. 46-175) The present invention relates to a snap-back toy and has for an object to provide a toy of this character which will simulate various well-known actions wherein an object part is automatically moved into relation with a receiver part, to the end that an amusing and instructive toy is provided.

Another object is to provide a toy which will emit a sound characteristic of the simulated subject as the object part is received by the receiver part. Examples of receiver and object parts, as contemplated by the invention, are: a dog catching a ball; a cat catching a mouse; a sportsman, such as a football player, basketball player, or baseball player, catching a ball; a fisherman catching a fish; a barn into which an animal goes; a garage into which a vehicle goes; a birdhouse into which a bird flies; and numerous similar combinations.

A further object is to provide a toy of this character having relatively simple basic mechanical parts, which may be assembled with various forms of receiver and object parts in an efficient and economical manner.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein satisfactory embodiments of the invention are shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the invention in which the receiver part is illustrated as a dog and the object part is illustrated as a ball, the full lines showing the ball extended and the dotted lines showing it retracted or caught in the mouth of the dog;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale, of a modified form in which the receiver part is shown as a birdhouse and the object part is shown as a bird; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another modified form in which the receiver part is shown as a garage and the object part is shown as an automobile.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1-4 thereof, the snap-back toy, according to the illustrated exemplary embodiment shown therein, comprises a receiver part 10 in the form of a dog and preferably constructed of a pair of molded plastic half sections 11 and 12 cemented together along the meeting inner surfaces of the sections, as at 13. Recesses 14--14, respectively, are provided in the two sections and constitute a chamber in which is received a snap-back reel unit 15, similar in its operation to a snap-back type of tape measure, this unit including a casing 16 fitted within the chamber and held against rotation therein by means of bosses 17 projecting from the side walls of the chamber and engaged in holes 18 in the sides of the casing.

A horizontal tubular shaft 19 is fixed to one side of the casing by being staked, as at 20, in a hole 21 in the casing, this shaft having a reduced diameter end portion 22 having a diametric slot 23. A reel is rotatably mounted on the shaft and consists of an inner hub memher 24 having an inner peripheral flange 25 engaged upon the reduced shaft portion 22 and an outer peripheral flange 26 upon which is secured a flanged rim member 27. A spiral spring 28 is secured at its inner end to the shaft 19 by a rivet 29 and is secured at its outer end to the outer peripheral flange 26 of the hub member by a rivet 30, and is adapted to be wound as the reel is rotated in clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 2, and to impart rotation to the reel in counterclockwise direction as it is unwound.

Upon the side of the hub member there is provided a series of radial teeth 31 struck out therefrom, each tooth having a radially disposed rearward abutment or locking tooth edge and an inwardly inclined camming surface extending forwardly therefrom. A push rod 32 is slidably engaged in the tubular shaft 19 and extends through a passage 33 in the body section 12 where its outer end projects slightly beyond the outer surface of the section 12 to constitute a push button release.

Upon the inner end of the rod 32 there is rigidly staked a detent spider member 34 having a pair of arcuate slots 3535 engaged by the arcuate portions of the reduced portion 22 of the shaft 19 at'each side of the diametric slot 23, so that the spider and push rod are held against relative rotationon the shaft 19, but are permitted to move longitudinally. The spider has a series of radial arms which are disposed between the teeth 31 of the reel and are normally pressed against the side of the reel by a coil spring 36 interposed between the spider and the opposed wall of the casing 16, so that the edges of the arms engage the abutment edges of the teeth and restrain counterclockwise turning movement of the reel against the force of the spiral spring 28. Upon movement of the reel in a clockwise direction to wind the spring 28, the spider has a detent action riding over the inclined camming surfaces of the teeth, and upon pushing in the push rod the spider is released from the teeth so that the latter will turn under the force of the unwinding spring 28.

A cord, cable or the like 37 is secured at one end, wound in the grooved rim of the reel by means of a lug 38, and is extended through an opening 39 in the rim of the casing 16 and through a guide passage 40 formed by providing semi-circular cross-section grooves in the two sections 11 and 12, this passage extending to a pocket formation 41, which in the disclosed embodiment represents the open mouth of the dog. Upon the outer end of the cord or cable 37 there is secured the object part, represented as a ball 42, and which may be constructed of any suitable material as, for instance, molded plastic material, rubber, wood or the like. This ball is of suitable size so that it will fit into the mouth lrzrllpocket 41 to realistically simulate a dog catching a Within a chamber 43 provided in the head part and formed by complementary recesses in the half sections 11 and 12, there is provided a sound producing bellows 44, one side of which is fixed to the rearward wall of the chamber by having its upper and lower edges set in grooves 4545, and the other side of which is movable in the chamber and is provided with an extension arm 46 extending through a slot 47 into the open mouth 41, this extension having a slot 48 therein through which the cord or cable 37 passes in moving between its extended and retracted positions. The movable side of the bellows 44 has a valved sound producing member 49 attached thereto through which air is emitted to produce the characteristic sound. This unit may be of well-known form consisting of a reed or whistle, and is tuned to produce the desired sound, the sound in the case of the simulated dog simulating the bark or yelp of a dog. A spring 50 tied between the movable side of the bellows member 44 and the forward wall of the chamber 43 exerts force to normally open the bellows.

In operation the ball is pulled away from the receiver part to any desired distance up to its length, the extension of the cord or cable 27 causing the spring 28 0f the snap-back unit to be wound, and return movementbeing automatically prevented by the successive engagement of the arms of the detent spider member 34 with thefteeth 31. Upon pressing the push button the reel is released and the cord or cable is Wound upon the reel and the ball is snapped from its extended position into the pocket or mouth 41, engagement of the ball with the extension arm 46 of the bellows moving the bellows to closed position and causing it to emit a bark-like noise.

In Fig. 5 another example of the toy of the invention is illustrated, in which the receiver part is shown as a birdhouse a and the object part is shown as a bird 42a, adapted to fly into a pocket 41a simulating the birdhouse entrance. The sound device, in this case, will produce a whistle or peep-like sound.

Another example is shown in Fig. 6, in which the receiver part is shown as a garage 1% and the object part is shown by the representation of an automobile 42b, adapted to move into the pocket 41b, simulating the garage entrance. The sound device, in this case, will produce an automobile horn-like sound.

In each case, these parts will be similarly constructed to the receiver part as shown in Figs. 1-4, by forming the same in half sections cemented together and having recesses 1414 to provide the chamber for the snap-back reel unit. In each case, the cord or cable will extend through a passage similar to the passage 40 to the pocket for receiving the object part.

What is claimed is:

In a toy, a receiver part having an object receiving pocket, a spring actuated reel within said receiver part adapted to be spring loaded by rotation in unwinding direction, releasable detent means restraining rotation of said reel in winding direction, release means extending to 4 the exterior of said receiver part adapted upon actuation to release said detent means, a flexible line connected to and windable on said reelfiand extending therefrom to said pocket, an object part secured upon the outer end of said line, outward movement of said object part from said pocket to an extended position adapted to unwind said line from said reel, a sound producing device carried by said receiver part having a movable actuating part disposed in said pocket in the path of retracting movement of said object part, said actuating part having an opening through which said flexible line extends, and spring means arranged to move said actuating part in the direction of extension of said flexible line, and said object part adapted upon actuation of said release means to be drawn into said pocket through winding of said line on said reel and to engage and move said actuating part against the force of said spring means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,118,707 Wakefield Nov. 24, 1914 1,264,341 Slater Apr. 30, 1918 1,447,953 Herchmann Mar. 6, 1923 1,488,626 Steiner et a1 Apr. 1, 1924 1,945,842 Witchger Feb. 6, 1934 1,967,902 Reichel July 24, 1934 2,129,582 Johansson Sept. 6, 1938 

